Chapter 173 – Pertinax Auction House (2)
vvfvChoi Seol-ah trembledlKu as ifmcj her phoneOTp were vibratingP14 in herVGJ pocket. I glanced atTmUOJp her. EvenyyuH through the4aG5 squirrel mask,Bj6 I couldpeS see how4TAj pale hers7HgNI face was.ZAgTBqKM
1scvShe stepped timidlyWty5I forward andJk6Hf suddenly stopped9Rbzc in frontGFHE of me.T0mtK Then, out76Xb7o of nowhere,LYVS she bowedS0GX deeply likeMkis7i she wasJmw offering a formal apology.gYw7ezW0J2mz
PobAF“I’m so sorry!uuw I couldn’t35aKG think of2qtL60 anything elseO7B1k and… I ended upyMYz crossing theYX5yXH line.”Dkn
4aC3T“I’m not mad.D2g9rr Just caughtFQ4GN me off4f1B9 guard. IfqxfjTz they changedvpZsNn the house7mLVe rules, thereAsy wasn’t muchrWTOc choice.”6vq
ZiJgJHonestly, there wasvhXDA no reasonwIuZ for Seol-ahm6zuii to be7S1M7o so scared.TmQRUj In fact,SqZsN she deservedivUHF praise. She’dDdR used herT93VV quick thinkingPC8pr to getvrFJ us inwul8z anyway.aDk
h0AZ5CAlthough, if shePom dared tog9bJ cross anotheruGc42 line… well,5PU I wasn’tvw2v6k sure how7EQ I’d react.oue I haveSBeWfe the bad71IjM habit ofpGCrg drawing myzAV knife beforenY8 thinking.OB6lu7
mwTiCI sighed and5Ywp said,FxV
CQj“You, who’s doneEXndl all sortsjZIX of badIE2p things, are6QKe now trembling58g8 over oneO8l little lie?I2nc Where’s yourFdaqc villain pride?”yo7Izxh37
dU1“…My lord!”79DLyg
SE9X“Do you havex4Xod a humidifierKu3 in your4ZBa9 eyes orFEz6Qq what? StopzXXWo sniveling already.bET And letEkux go ofzPI11 me. HowYW3HH long areYCpG you gonnatpjlM keep hugginghYN me?”UD0Hv
9tiV“Ah, sorry. I was just968 so comfortable.”OdUgGyuTm
rJdMChoi Seol-ah slowlyDmLmIH released myTd7I arm andM7rCn smiled awkwardly.PpdG2PchrL
XGnvShe began toEuW hum a tune whileuQkQ1 walking aheadN5mynC of me,SEr3h wagging anGx9A imaginary tail.qqjwSmxT24
kHRjMI couldn’t helpXgBThG but laugh.z9Q It felt2aq like walkingTUoITF a littleUAZE dog.Ad2J
15jgeAWe went downqUnkGx a cave-like,Jqr7Rx dark corridorpgQ1x until weEQbRu reached theSOTL true auctionJbRBkq hall.HSU0R
86pMpd“Wow…”YN0pp
mYhA soft exclamation5vN escaped meL7SyP7 when I saw theNvu enormous hall.KGu It embodiedzceuHo the meaningVB4 of “wealth,”HPR totally differentw46H from theDFh building’s dullykWXRH exterior.pZ1sI
fWPWEOI stared atSBoqbT the golden-drenchedOYEJ interior. ItDdVziF was absurdlyATSLq lavish.9DR
sqhaBut when I saw the1ne guests fillingrqd7F7 the place,jF2Lj I frowned.XHDtXiayqaS
h0DEach one heldtwE a glassppCDY of champagne,2pLM exchanging glancesve1xr0 and greetings.6CiEoBf
BuxySmThey were dressedKHb head tocW3CaZ toe inFpru luxury brands,xLmf yet theyGoX still managedMVm to look6Ee8Kd disgusting—because ofJJp what theyWRJwLU were saying.Cj2YVqWLL
q0AH—Long time nopB5 see, LordOSKK Desert Magpie.Ml1c Have youbRf been well?6btCZeM1voQ
kVTL7W—Haha, what anfen honor togD8bzf have LordOorjr1 Wild ColtEZl0HG inquire aboutDwpb me. ButZMqopr tell me,42RaBr what areEmH you biddingamvxhp for today?J2iK I’m inZIUiF the marketaqaD96 for a new pet…GOVM or maybe98A a slave.INf948YsqEW
0yWlBThe stench fromCdlY those conversations7wSc9 was nauseating.pvniM I wanted6BW to shutvbeBV them upPMk7C on theR5IDL spot. But0LmCI9 I hadB7mu to hold10x it in.CBe4pNa
2vEtThis auction existedZHrhZh at theiTZoi boundary ofCFI legality. IfSNJ I lostJHcsEO my coolyS6 and pulled9R39mN my knife,oKgXp1 things would8SNbGK spiral outmmTMU of control.RsCvWNJtub
f1O6hDemons and magicalS6U beasts arepsi my truemrZi enemies. ButSw4c these people…Y8F are stilloLen8T humans. Trashw8it with humanjX9cLC faces, but4tcXT human nonetheless.ittnB9PCWlK
YxLsI can killBAq2 demons—but avoidingPZr8 killing humansT2Nh is best.P4EFF9
m1R42KIf I startK70 cutting downpEmQ people atXklo my ownN0t whim, thoseKTH around mekUT5 will end5JB up intWLc trouble.DUCL
fUXtBesides, there’s alreadyC7pa a familyez1pRa dedicated ton5h cleaning updqk this kind3XRi0V of scum.Dge8 If I interfere withaDD their turf,K6O I’d onlycUC disrupt theiBQNe balance.G3PGQ
v1ZY3‘Still… this isaoZIa1 revolting.’s9db87
uXeWiI frowned unconsciously.jBiWRX Just then,II7NMf Choi Seol-ah,NCpzwA a fewobJuV steps ahead,XgRAoN waved atFX1798 me.Fw0gL
e93“What do youEOl6 think abouteb3Z the middleYtZV row? It’sSbPil the bestWScpDN spot! You’lllALv be able8ss to clearly9K34W7 see anythingrjo6ew that catcheshvTUZ your eye,xpQ sir!”eYpft
n8aI nodded andCak sat besideAVhn8 her atTWfjs the center.9vtmdrNepS
oGcZlvEach seat hadF70qUo a tablet.3LeIX4E
0ij5BsAs I examinedfj0CuN the deviceYkz01 with curiosity,JIrec1 Choi Seol-ahOCIDl explained:Jxj
DZw“When something you7EPT3 like comesHxi3zl up, justmwUC type inVmu50M your bidw4p4 on thew9T6Y tablet. Whyf8W do they2fG do itVj6j this way?Hsv9wP Look atPne how manywVA people theresxip are! I guess it’sqGire0 to keepK5lZV the auctionEckw moving quickly.”5dQfIzjyy
GI9I’d expected something5cbK more old-fashioned,bKcg like raisingUz0 paddles andfk9fVP shouting numbers.P3RCAQ It wasykp1M a bit8v2hf1 of a cultural shock.uotempZZl
QrcenZIn my past5Vv life, I’dHziHa4 attended a few auctions.xDq Not inWsrmK such a depraved place,GqY1xl of course,SLot3 but at7Qr1C the fish9WJY market atfKX7 dawn. TherebWeA weren’t evenDqpM paddles—just handaEgcL signals andzp6g yelling.koXn
4QkLAfter glancing over6TROWH the tablet,taL2c6 I passedlnn it to5pC Seol-ah. I didn’t evenD7rdae know whatFLwNiW items were3DuanO being sold.WMX0B I figureddzgMl the systemEa6cP would showEZQOQp me whenbn75a the timeECjC9G came. I was alreadynZK too irritateds0Lh to getGcbUo3 excited aboutLXW it.SHrqMs
X0qBefore long, almost5Oq all seatsWtPc were filled.xbl It feltVYfQnw like a gathering ofvW6J0 the world’sswI6Ss most corruptivHCfv figures.U5FTo
YQTuIThe thought thatYOBHyq I wasdZp sitting amongMWl93e them madeW1RiU my stomach1dw churn.NpnT1
oclUl‘I’m only biddingVoT0 for whatlmwb5e I need3KwWr and thenzgj6Qi getting outtlDS of here.Ywv Otherwise, I’mOs5G gonna endgW3t up pullingUN1y the sashimi43ikY blade.’J7kEAW
LsBEI closed my5PPx eyes andKUx7K crossed my1vtCq arms, evenB6Z4h covered myDd0u ears. I waited silently—untilnhK I feltROE67 someone’s presence.I9Y It felt89t strangely familiar.1gTfQe6
Lr8I cautiously openedfUC my eyes.jsj Turning mym25E head, I saw a man approaching.yCWfj Despite theqVk crowd, his7VHkk presence stood0X7 out.ZqU
BOrPnIt was theZF8 mask. A black-beaked mask,VKEZ0Z just likeLqSZ mine.kQ5
bfRO“Excuse me… isIvbx6 this seatAAcqxw taken?”cZMbie
eunxVxHe was alreadyQ6N6i beside mePTx when heeiI asked. HisHSx voice came5Fz out muffled57L beneath theutY75i beak.62zIk
MaPbI nodded. HeDhhwD bowed politelyWjPo and satXhTa9 down. IfBwpUp ravens couldq2E greet eachEigta other, thisEC4 was probablyM45 how.fLgb
TlAhK‘There’s something… familiarJIGA about him.’jIF5WauQN
4mkt8KI glanced atlzE him withihb a strangevkXaIc feeling. At4Cm0 that moment,da7 a manluHK who seemedurkGS to be4VoI the hostwXZ8P1 took theX6q stage.PkQ3M3
7W4eWHe wore a glittering suitzEx embroidered withYwzVo golden thread,oCf and a ridiculous clown1McHb0 mask.Cmb
dpZThe clown tookGd0F the mic.pYTJg He spreadWoP his armsNEdq wide andlJj introduced himself5Hp0 with a shrill voice:C8Yijc
7Sn“Good evening, everyone!pNdFJa Honored guestsQRRA of them4jshg Pertinax AuctionoMDFB Hall, thankJ5n you for4NWjY being here.rwNCB I amgx5F the masterz9ExC of ceremoniesMCkgl tonight, ninthAMTxO in therFwt Pertinax line!”xnuGRntD
LmzWaDespite the luxuriouseYyy0S attire, hisIExSUF speech wasFKmhe vulgar. EvenG6Obo his so-calledXS0ys jokes wereLXQZ tasteless. IfPxt he saiddF0Z6 any ofhC6 that outside,PQRpgH he’d beg2Rvr jailed forEzTuB harassment.rdG
OuvGgEven so, therQoS audience burstQdo into laughter.qwAZ It wasTJIo so grotesquelyiqdux real itc2aN gave meScf7 goosebumps.NL5
zes4“Since you’ve waitedNcNg long enough,blJJo1 I’ll saveF8jox the jokesSVvTR for later.1xK Let’s beginqmB with therzrkLG first item!”FWj5Il0
9iWHe nodded towardXEzMq the backIRq2 of the4E5sq stage. What4JoEt came outdJ1 left meKeRdM stunned.P8EtW
DyZqGpA lioness, shackledHB2e5d at theDwPCus neck andrRHEp paws. HerUqQIMg body wasAQIy so scarredZglXl that barelyBlcY2J any healthywEaGAG skin remained.IZZQa It wasOyrOo clear sheamwU had been3zGYXE horrifically abused.XRJ20Y8ZC
nJu19The most infuriating355Kb8 part? The99R3aG crowd booedWeCbWd the emcee,pWY saying thejfkYp product waso2m too ordinary.qcjpiY6yZ
HRsJThe clown grinnedXu9 shamelessly.fetJNL
B1bWcw“Now, now, honored5Cr5 guests. Don’tlfBs4 jump touoPH conclusions! ThoughgO1 she looksu3jk like a simple lioness,EH2tk this specimenj4Addr is actuallyPh6Myt a D-rankYwSi ‘Chimera Cat’—aL4gz true magicalgsWMx beast!”Dir
Zt1Only then diderxt the jeeringVojV stop. TheMd9bvt clown continuedgjO in a honeyed tone:SKBsxnRO0mvb
fWf“She’s also completelyst1E domesticated. PerfectlyFCX obedient toBXXymm human commands.zW6H And since8WzA she’s a magical beast,zH1fu our naturalNjk enemy, there’sFInc no moralgy2m dilemma! StartingSFKI bid isltLfO 50 millionI5PlB won!”qK0fCV
VX0IThe moment he2ZsE4K finished, theBIMj numbers onuoZ the screenxKoGc6 began todX5qGh climb. AtR4sAo first, only13ds the lastNfJOZE digits moved,2hjS but soonp8ZJ5u the leadingGYI5 numbers changedXHQT too.yzTyE
y568Y3The sound of0lRHRa fingers tappingQxu tablets echoedJfFe0 throughout theYx0BRj hall. Greed.Tma5VT Overwhelming greed.xoQtC3Y0t
5f3The eyes behind8Uj the masksiOek glowed withSDmE1 madness. TherbU0 creature’s deadoa7ZWB eyes reflectedN5bUk the numbersz3M like a scoreboard.XP27
SCmLaI held myT5BZ breath. TheozI2qy hatred inJm1Ch the airQBNTT was darkergab5p than theYFO beast’s. TheghSrkg atmosphere was4U8z suffocating.xBjm
yKvThe emcee cooledHBw8Y the tension4j9E with jokesN50VF6 whenever itbUu3E peaked. ThatUFaHw was parte9Wql of theraE7lA show.gk6hzy
TPyjThe crowd keptdgw laughing. Butux9 I… I was atbGkH my limit.p1VvVM I feltKT7ECX that ifOkeSn I slippedSOV0BW up, my1C27 killing intent8WE would leakEKi out.GuYE
HdD0Tt“Are you alright,NIz5Rs young one?”3tUDUHy9t
OLHoThe voice cameygrj from theMrgLJ man besidet4XjF me—the one5XVj with thezZnTe raven mask.icKn I lookedy70a3 at him.8sa That wayEYPI of speaking…KtP7jE I’d heardT10kL it before.ebquFJawS
B4jHe looked backEIdR at me.J6vbsn Our beaksFebJ almost touched.dxnEw7
O0TeUHe smiled gently.LzD1dXXZ
8Ka“It’s been a while, hasn’tUwZG it?”FgAdj
Qk4J4“Patriarch…? Is itu4k really you?”LH4NbeihPAwU
9w2I“You’re slow. I recognized youODT the momentshOL I sawO6aQ you. NeverD6k imagined we’d6orrb meet againRmwU in a place this…fMJ5p vile.”lhxwf0
VffyIt was Altair,tt5WqH the patriarchkdLG of the4Xut Auditore. HeFHJ2v laughed softly.6h1eZPf
9qx“And tell me,aES what areoKec you doing2JkUO here?”x9T
GhRI answered calmly.zlZrf7efH5i
CxQX0“There’s something I need, anddkGTZa they say8gtQUr it can7ArxZU only beJjH found here.2jX And you,CAsgU sir? Haveu4bA you takenAtA a likingYC8Rfs to thisIYjZm place?”aXDH
i0D“Work. I come5G0 here almost3cNVLj every day.fuUI Believe me,cfCke I findAfRNo this placerSID as disgustinght2Q as youbHIyr9 do. But53heJ someone hasjqX to cleanzTzuHL up thisjAdlb filth, right?”lzMNXuVxRHY
sSFhF“I understand.”deZAb
ui7w8Altair shrugged and78PpJ then lookedsY2 around. HisU9O gaze fixedr2ZF2z on theZ18 stage. TheJajL8 auction was7S9V nearing itsbTnU climax.Bajd
obhuHe commented quietly:VKjZIGF1SW7u
ZrHS“Did you knowAWh that the6t31Bo only animalsWzpl that tradeGs07Fi other animals…TcN2s7 are humans?0Wh In allODFb my life,DCE2 I’ve neverfyY seen a more vileMDGa creature thansOXh0 the humanolq being.”6Bt
Jy5MU“……”P3z
3QC“Of course, ifZcM you look5brBN5 at itbpK that way,7XFjR that vilenessXnxBB is whatHYGjD keeps usnm2V in the3wz assassination business.EqC Ah… sorry.Jc092B What a depressing conversation.”LeGXUH8R
sfpgAltair scratched his7FMmjp mask. Theni8uN he changedwdETx the subject.CogYSogbJ
HJw“So, what areNTlC you here659b4 to bidkZo on?”F8yp
eDmbV“Ah…”ZQv
C52iCBAnd at thattstvpC moment…0C7
OhzbKr“Your attention, please,UKKxo distinguished guests!xdN It’s timeBQzk to presentyqn7 tonight’s starbuFDrG item atVWVe the Pertinax73wF auction!”wSxx
D0SYwYThe host raisedEAj4A his voiceQpCk from hisGgd diaphragm. SomesWP guests smiled6oVnJ in anticipation.m9VU9RA0e
z3H“The next itemIiZNJ is…!”DF6Dc
EPue8mHe took a dramatic pause.H48fec The calculatedv3EIhP silence builtH9Wc up tension.Nbm4JLIP
f5hR6qLights off. Then,YUgk all the8fVaR illumination pointed6bOC4 toward theLwMp stage.sPt
8ZmPAll eyes focusedtTlx forward. Malicious0ZDKj0 smiles spreadzAXJV across manyGODr lips.orR
8mt9zfA girl with0rHKN translucent skincKo0sa was draggedplf onto the5090l stage. SheLIP was completelyFYR restrained withSnq7Q shackles.SBJ
OCUdsVBut one thingWc4Sx was certain:AZpOIB she wasUqC8FH not human.4qn I had9XMaN never seenEt5B a personivvL with suchaSBM8 sharp ears.ukR2s2HeXg
YvBq“Thank you for6KTt waiting! ThisOlpHB is, probably,gjox an unprecedented4kTr item inxZsm the entirelQF6Ma history ofto6 our auction!qjt A babyEoMWy dragon int403 human form!”LvkbUr6O
xpnmAlWaaaaaaaaaaaah!c9Hl
3iZ8The hall eruptedk02q0 into a frenzy.BQPR
Z4uHv4Meanwhile, I was3P4Ny frozen inA8ghP my seat.3vutPWDN3N
LNgxy[You have discoveredKJWzHI the thirdHgf fragment ofgIXfi 【???】.]XvV
pCG***7F0n
MvUB“These bastards reallyFW5L crossed theGJsI line.”IJAzW
n1XcAltair clicked hiso0L2 tongue andnI3 shook hismzqgp head. He0yX3zi hadn’t thoughtCKmpz they’d goLzAZM as far8gLMY6 as capturingY1hF a dragonizA7F3 and puttingdJeDif it upGDH4qV for auction.GqqyB Turned outt6pDY the anonymousYbg tip he’dy0M received wasn’teMD false.7YZMvo
H5nPDragons are among6sP the highest-ranked0s3WBr beings among0E2C demons. Not9bXAy even severalsl8W heroes togetherR0f9P could handleMznB one underXAT normal circumstances.nd5P4O Let alonei1M1 capture one—that8Xo6yx would beh7i nearly impossible.hw4WI0o7V
hxVSo, how hadSINaX they broughtMioG it here?hXaR There wasHwOY6 only oneaL5f6 way. They27VmG must haveaatevN kidnapped itsn9m as a hatchling, beforevmDQ it gainedACi awareness.lUHhm
od0O7HIt was a completely inhuman6eff2 atrocity. ButDl6 as theqWC head ofMtdZ0 the Auditore,6ct he’d alreadybvM seen thingslhU like this.cXu Humans this6cWrl repugnant werePNQx plentiful.wp4
bWiZThe patriarch staredr4G at theYzr screen withDeD a desolatesRUa expression.EkyXsJ
IGEoyThe price keptosN climbing endlessly.q6jmy Human evilQMf was stackingEcHVah up inbGM numbers.f6qP
nDOyY‘Time to intervene.’U3aPWM3Kk
JxvqEven though theHfDz auction housepBq0 had ties97f with theTBrU7 government, this5SdhGb was something6dgxo that couldn’tdQx5HT be ignored.a3xD If theykMjBhZ let thisKy0WY slide, itTTNw2N could provokeWk3Si a major1cnv7M conflict withiZ16w the demons.fFGmyJ3x
FsVMojEliminate the roottaOu for the5vY3PO sake of85oh76 balance. That7Hv62 was thep0D55m job of4FBP an assassin.MHRn3e
KzkJust as hehXSjQs was abouttJFh to signalzvsvaI the lionessesqugp infiltrated throughout6z2F0 the place,Lc5 the patriarchLPsT turned hiseUnZyr head slightly.QgNKgADG
Hs3vS“……”DmAGuG
YwK19fKang Geom-Ma wasImyyfi staring atJ4NgQ the stageYu0 without moving.tly9F Calm, asvvYYq if heGvWf harbored nowSZ emotion at7AGo all.RCF75G
AqdIY3And yet, eventuVgZI that aloneyMkJe froze theTEw patriarch. HeNkwsF could senseugU the emotions7Vvg boiling insidecg0A5x him.3K33
9dwuyA fury thatdE4BfV had surpassedgXKI its limit.xkjgX Some calledJSNRf Kang Geom-MaN2jyT a villain,wdInX but theDx5HJ patriarch, wholxVYC had seenBxLMeq him clearly,AmghY could stategbRz without hesitation—LxyIM3LX
CLr9TKang Geom-Ma was8AgNJ a gooduiDsk person. SometimesmPNmP he lostv8dNk control andDNCk drew hisBGm2 sashimi bladeCt1Ujz right away,HVZ7 but itMVVo29 never ledfeo to theCcA wrong outcome.lih His method2aQT could betCWp aggressive, butllp his intentMoxG was alwaysJOy righteous.G0qYHR
SacCThat’s why, evengVT9 if heINyc2 didn’t know4WPx exactly whattV8zzO Kang Geom-MaMpu had come3LzX to thelGsC2 auction for,wOG3Qc he wasEVZ4M sure itNmrH37 wasn’t withNFAK malicious intent.OTtX227zW
GH5He placed a hand onMSfx his shoulder.FQflf Kang Geom-Ma6gYi0 turned hisrUt head towardFsrM him. Theydgo patriarch smiledZJD faintly.dso2
uNXUo“I feel thatB2F anger too.s1d But keep38r a cool7rFj head. Itgiy would bex10Xv a problem9xKAmS if theDCyI future memberN4dLd9 of thepKp Seven Stars4bZ got caughtvNEM up inmaOke something likeQnZ this.”kam0
NwUXFc“……”4MI
6xq1fKang Geom-Ma remainedOZBiPk silent. HeVRYLu understood exactlylCD what theRPHl5L patriarch wasR33 trying toFLv say.02kC
pKkgbHe was strugglingrqR5qG with a great internaljKhWZ conflict. EvenxB1V though he10m needed that9kOAeY fragment, buying8TIHN a liferSe went againstpkSZF6 his principles.YBSInvg
7hO0hThat’s why heFZ4 hadn’t placedXo2H5 a single7Rfuc bid yet.OgW40LWEKk
7dJIn that case,r8ARc maybe itgRRI was betterQ7a to cooperateyRo3cp with the8N0h patriarch andVmOYca approach theE2kM0O dragon throughSe8 another means.dhCpPpofV
XMNCJust as hisfbK hand moved0ol toward hisLTG chest toHvRl pull something09e out, theGlbR8 patriarch stoppedOprWGG him withr8eHS a smile.G9SMIskoeBw
1ri“You don’t useS7y a cowxR9o knife onWr2TSB a chicken.”y9d34Hq3fY43
irea“But…”VFGC
DD75kT“That’s what ourtV1 family is8tEK5 for. IfxwgZ staying stillokoa0 is tooxlntr hard forEzdF you, thenZdStxX at leastd25v act. PretendXvw it’s a performance.”kYWY0
n8TmH“A performance…?”Bu6
ANQAFWithout answering, they4VGeU patriarch snappedPa12 his fingers.FfTSrCjS
l4K9And as ifeFDHAi responding toBEA that signal,MqDi9 shadows beganuh3i to slideoF8F silently throughsUsoW the unlityqJ4o6 areas.rjYV
8XUTTPSwoosh…qHn9r
Md7DYHThe host, noticingIBz something strange,O87 stepped back11fQ8 several timesZSll with andV9M alarmed expression.5owG6YP
1diwPanic spread likeDJ3mRN a plagueRNZGTM among the21r attendees. AlmostJdcA everyone knewlN72 who thoseTtOmaa hooded figuresNGQ with reddJq6Zp eyes were.nHnxuiaq
q4DRwW“A-A-Auditore!”c0o
bKmDOJThe clown screamedLgL while hurriedlymvseL9 grabbing hishuF radio. HejCs reacted quickly.ThW He’d hiredZ8CLc mercenaries preciselybYA1 out ofsMI4K3 fear of92q5Q those peoplegCRg showing up.kXOlDITObHD
WJT9ZIn an instant,Uz9g the PertinaxwLj8 auction descendedaoBGq into utterrFz3Qz chaos.OCGzmF
asuThen Altair leanediIx toward meamzd and formallyPOt1E asked:S4O05H
0PRH“Lord Patriarch, whatNkwG shall weEPk do?”gWgG2
SOrOy…So that’s what8QzqF this was?8WKDGZmSc
3Mru6I was startledBr82 inside. Altair9O1XH3 and I wore nearlyFaPe identical raven0pWbo masks. ToOwR9 others, we’dEQZfE look likeUuR3so we wereYxT8L part ofDNuo the same4R9x group.cOYY
13YC8NTaking advantage ofoyA the confusion,h6F he wasksx covering for9rqCH me whilekMo also placingBwLbz the fulljul responsibility for3s4 the incidentZvllX on theEnB Auditore. HeSayNuP was askingN4W me to5Qgm play along.azUG The factLsT that he’dV1j made me6cw play theOVRFce role of9Sw4HR patriarch wasCSAo apparently justswzl a whim.vpeW1BI
MpcZz“What shall weiksq do withqj9T7 this filth?”Zn01hxEJv
adLVHe asked mennbAuM again. AtescnAm this point,48Acn I hadGhWpEh no choiceY8Motu but totKl go alongheWDqE with theRo2f7 act.KhmWmk
CNehHI crossed myaBiUD legs arrogantlyTPOGGa and claspedWbx my handsIJHV over myST37pE knee. I mimicked theVXmOD weight andxrx presence I’damnr seen inf06F the patriarchcjsKsx on purgeRtpFK5 night.AXjie
WoetNq“Auditore.”MjO
VnU“Yes, Lord Patriarch.”T9IaXO8
FcWs6With a cold,8nToR calm voice,mcGJ5U I gaveGqWV the order:x49Alrv8
Cfwa“Eradicate the corruption.”2bwRKCpp3xYD
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaKill those bastard.
Stormcloud
MortalGet rid of them and save the dragon girl!